Colombo (Fides Service) – Peace talks between the government of Sri Lanka and Tamil separatist rebels (LTTE Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) frozen in April, will resume early next year according to a government spokesman. In fact on 31 October the LTTE will hand the government a memorandum which will serve as the basis of the resumed peace talks. The parties will start preliminary discussions in November to pave the way for talks on central questions in the new year. The LTTE proposal should include a temporary administration in the north and east of the Island, mostly in the hands of the rebel troops, and most probably will also include a request for power in the political and financial sectors. For its part the government has already put forward a plan giving extensive powers to the Tamil community in matters of reconstruction and resettlement of refugees, but not with regard control of politics or security. However the government spokesman stressed the importance of the fact that for the first time LTTE rebels are proposing a temporary administration and stating their requests clearly. Preliminary talks should also examine requests made by Muslim political leaders who want to send a separate delegation to the talks. Muslims in Sri Lanka, 8% of the population and mostly Tamil speaking who consider themselves a separate ethnic group, accuse the LTTE of extortion and abductions despite the truce. Civil war in Sri Lanka which started in 1983, has caused the death of at least 64.000 people. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 24/10/2003 – lines 18; words 244)